anything but a couch potato; food and travel

Monthly Archives: March 2010

Two weeks ago I went to see Bong Joon-Ho’s 2009 film “Mother” at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) follow by a Q & A with the director. In the same week Kim Yu-Na won gold medal for women’s figure skating and on the following week art week in New York City introduced Korean Art Fair and last week Samsung technologies introduced the very first 3D home television and let’s not forget the Kogi Truck. Korea is dominating the Asian Culture and the world, with every industry you can name or unnamed of.

Bong Joon-Ho best known for The Host a top Korean grossing film at the box office latest film “Mother” is visually breathtaking and the story is compelling. The film opens in a wide angle with the mother walking quietly towards the camera through a mid-waist height grain field. Minutes later the mother breaks into a folk dance.–very odd and I love it! It’s drama with part humor, part detective and part thriller. The story is complex with so many layers and with top notch actors it keeps the audience intrigued. “Mother” titled is about a single mother played by Kim Hye-Ja with a mentally challenged son Do-Joon played by Won-Bin who one day was accused for murdering a school girl. Unable to defend himself and with a corrupt and useless legal system the mother goes to the extreme in every way to prove his son’s innocence, even if it means sacrificing her own innocence in turning herself into a murderer.

Bong Joon-Ho Centered

The mother was never given a name in the film and the reason is to intend for the audience to associate “Mother” as all mother. The mother figure is overprotective, nurturing, and maybe a little psycho. The director said after he made “Mother” and invited his mother to see his film, his mother did not speak with him for over 6 months. See it on Mother’s Day or see it now at IFC opens March 12, 2010.

I was watching the 82nd Annual Oscars this past Sunday and this Diet Coke commercial came on with “Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap playing in the background. The melody of the guitar strings intro was familiar to my ears and I recalled hearing this song in 500 Days of Summer in the scene where Summer and Tom was taking the railroad in the sunset. No need for dialogues, just a montage of beautiful scenery and replace the muteness with a sweet sound of The Temper Trap “Sweet Disposition” and I am in love. Not necessarily with Diet Coke but with how nicely the 60 seconds commercial is put together. Montage of high profile occupations as a fashion designer, film director to an artist, each experiencing bliss in what they do for a living and drinking Diet Coke. The commercial ends with the message ‘Stay Extraordinary’ and it delivers the message in a glamorous sense. The commercial itself nor is the beverage is extraordinary but the song really enhances the product just like how every ingredients are important components to enhance a dish.

Another food- related commercial song I like is Absolut Vodka“Ceremony” by New Order

Website is marvelous too. Check it out!

Last but not least Frito Lays line of chips has won my heart again. Sunchips “So Much More” by Mark Robbillard

The message in going-green and bringing the awareness to consumers about compost and recycle is important to our Earth done beautifully.

I had my first jury duty today in Downtown, Manhattan. I was not chosen as a juror for trials because there were not any until after lunch there was one case. “New York City is safe and sound” – To be honest I don’t know why so many people dread going to jury duty. The staffs are perhaps the most friendliest and with a sense of humor government employees I have encounter so far. It was like a 9am stand up comedy show, poking fun at Albany and jurors the #1 reason to be exempt from jury duty is “I do not understand English in which we now have Chinese and Spanish interpreters at _ Centre Street but you wouldn’t understand what I am saying right now, would you?” We were all treated like contestants of a game show. “Come on down you’re a winner!” Being the lucky half pack to avoid to sit in as a juror and not until for another six years. The hospitality exceeded my expectation. For once a government system that treats people like people. There was high speed wi-fi access if you brought your laptop and a sign-out sheet if you need to go for a coffee run, these are luxuries. And they really outdone themselves by providing the jurors a lunch guide in the neighborhood. It’s very quirky and humane at the same time. Rarely would you expect anywhere government agency with what concierge at a five stars hotel would provide. This list is compiled by the staff of The Citizens Jury Project and it emphasizes that the list of recommendations is solely put together by opinion and are not funded or affiliated with by the particular restaurants. The list was very diverse with multiethnic cuisine which includes, Cuban Sophie’s Cuban Restaurant, Italian Spaghetti Western, Chinese Bo Ky, Kosher Hoomoos Asli, Vegetarian Vegetarian Dim Sum House, and Dessert Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. A varied good taste selections, watch out Zagat!